Rolex GMT-Master II “Root Beer” 40mm Black Dial Two-Tone Everose Rolesor Oyster Bracelet 126711CHNR | 2022 Full Set

The Watch the World Has Been Waiting For — Root Beer, Reborn

The original Rolex GMT-Master “Root Beer” is one of the most storied color combinations in all of watchmaking. The warm pairing of brown and gold on a professional GMT first appeared in the 1970s with the 1675/3 and 16753 references — brown-and-gold bezel, warm two-tone Rolesor construction — and became one of the most beloved and collected GMT configurations of the entire five-digit era. When Rolex discontinued that aesthetic in the 1980s in favor of the classic Pepsi and later Batman bezels, collectors mourned it for three decades. Then, in 2018, Rolex delivered one of the most anticipated watch releases in recent memory: the reference 126711CHNR — the modern Root Beer — bringing the brown-and-black color palette back to the GMT-Master II in an entirely contemporary execution. It sold out immediately at every authorized dealer worldwide and has traded above retail on the secondary market ever since. This 2022 full-set example in very good condition is one of the most sought-after configurations in the entire current Rolex catalog.

Everose Rolesor: 904L Oystersteel and Solid 18k Everose Gold

The 126711CHNR features a 40mm case constructed in Everose Rolesor, pairing Oystersteel with 18k Everose gold on the crown, crown guards, bezel, and centre bracelet links. Everose gold is not a standard rose gold alloy — it is a proprietary Rolex formulation, developed and produced entirely in-house at Rolex’s foundry in Geneva, designed to resist the fading and color shift that affects conventional rose gold alloys over years of wear. A watch set in Everose gold will maintain its distinctive warm pink-gold tone decades from now exactly as it presents today — a level of material permanence that no other manufacturer can replicate in the same alloy. The majority of the case is fashioned in Rolex’s 904L stainless steel with hints of Everose gold in its bezel and crown, with the front profile completely satin brushed, excluding aspects of the bezel knurling, while the case sides are mirror-polished steel. The 40mm Oyster case is sealed with a screw-down Triplock triple-waterproofness crown system — the same robust triple-gasket mechanism found on the Submariner — delivering water resistance rated to 100 meters and a level of environmental sealing that far exceeds what most owners will ever require.

The Two-Colour Brown and Black Cerachrom Bezel — An Engineering Marvel

The crown jewel of the 126711CHNR is its bidirectional rotating 24-hour bezel, fitted with a two-colour Cerachrom ceramic insert in brown and black. This bezel is one of the most technically extraordinary details in the entire current Rolex lineup: producing a ceramic insert in two distinct colours requires manufacturing two separate ceramic pieces — one brown, one black — bonding them at the precise midpoint, and then firing them together at extremely high temperatures. The result is a seamless, flawless colour transition between the two halves with no visible joint, adhesive, or mechanical fastening — pure ceramic, all the way through. The bezel features moulded numerals and graduations with the 24-hour scale engraved directly into the ceramic surface, with the recessed markings filled via a Physical Vapour Deposition process in Everose gold-tone — a detail that ties the bezel’s gold accents directly to the precious metal of the case, crown, and bracelet center links in a perfectly coordinated material story. Cerachrom ceramic is virtually scratchproof, completely corrosion-resistant, and entirely unaffected by UV exposure — it will look identical in fifty years as it does today. The brown tone is reminiscent of a cup of coffee with a touch of milk, and the Everose gold inlays of the timing scale pair well with both the black and brown halves of the bezel, with the tactile experience of rotating the bezel described as world-class — both butter-smooth and highly secure.

The GMT Complication — Three Time Zones at a Glance

The GMT-Master II’s defining complication is as elegantly practical today as it was when Pan Am’s pilots first strapped it on in 1954. In addition to conventional hour, minute, and seconds hands, the GMT-Master II features an arrow-tipped hand which circles the dial once every 24 hours, as well as a bidirectional rotatable 24-hour graduated bezel. The distinctively coloured 24-hour hand displays the home reference time in a first time zone which can be read on the graduations on the bezel, while the traveller’s local time is easily set by jumping from hour to hour, thanks to an ingenious mechanism operated via the winding crown: the hour hand can be adjusted forwards or backwards independently of the minute and seconds hands. The result is a watch capable of displaying three time zones simultaneously — local time on the hour hand, reference time on the GMT hand and bezel, and the date at 3 o’clock beneath the Cyclops lens — making the 126711CHNR the definitive travel companion for frequent flyers, global executives, and anyone whose professional life spans multiple time zones.

The Black Chromalight Dial

The black dial is enhanced by luminous hour markers and Mercedes-style hands, while a date display at 3 o’clock, magnified by the Cyclops lens, ensures everyday practicality. The hour markers are set with Chromalight — Rolex’s proprietary long-lasting luminescent material that emits a distinctive intense blue glow in darkness, significantly brighter and longer-lasting than the standard Super-LumiNova used by most competing manufacturers. The image in this listing captures this Chromalight display in its full nighttime glory: a deep, vivid blue glow emanating from the hour markers, minute markers, hands, and the arrow-tipped GMT hand simultaneously — an immediately arresting low-light display that is as practically useful as it is visually striking. The combination of the warm brown-and-black bezel against the glowing blue Chromalight of the dial creates a visual contrast that photographs cannot fully capture and must be experienced on the wrist.

The Everose Rolesor Oyster Bracelet

The Everose Rolesor Oyster bracelet features flat three-piece links with a folding Oysterclasp buckle and Easylink 5mm comfort extension link — a tool-free micro-adjustment mechanism exclusive to Rolex that allows the bracelet length to be increased by approximately 5mm to accommodate daily or seasonal wrist size fluctuations. The center links are crafted from solid polished 18k Everose gold flanked by brushed 904L Oystersteel outer links, continuing the warmth of the case and bezel across the full width of the bracelet. The weight of the Oyster bracelet — solid throughout, not hollow — delivers a satisfying, substantial wrist presence that communicates the quality of the construction with every movement.

Powered by Caliber 3285 — The Most Advanced GMT Movement Rolex Has Ever Made

The 126711CHNR houses the automatic Caliber 3285, boasting a power reserve of up to 70 hours. The Caliber 3285 increases the power reserve of the watch to 70 hours — a significant boost from the previous 48 hours offered by the Caliber 3186 it replaced. The movement is built around the patented Chronergy escapement — machined from nickel-phosphorus for exceptional resistance to magnetic fields and approximately 15% greater energy efficiency than a conventional Swiss lever escapement — and a paramagnetic blue Parachrom hairspring made from a proprietary zirconium-niobium alloy that is virtually unaffected by temperature fluctuations, shocks, or magnetic interference. The movement runs on 31 jewels at 28,800 vibrations per hour, with Paraflex shock absorbers providing additional structural resilience. Stop-seconds for precise time setting is included, allowing the GMT hand and hour hand to be set independently and then synchronized precisely to the second. The movement carries Rolex’s Superlative Chronometer certification, guaranteeing accuracy of -2/+2 seconds per day after casing — twice as strict as standard COSC requirements.

Condition & What’s Included

This 2022 example is in very good condition and comes as a full set with original Rolex box, papers, and all accompanying documentation. Authenticity is fully guaranteed.

Shipping & Payment

This watch ships from San Francisco at $16,999 fully insured and shipped worldwide. DM or leave a message for further details or additional photos.

Why This Reference Stands Out

Collectors refer to this model as “Root Beer” due to its unique brown and black bezel reminiscent of the colors of the classic soda, paying homage to vintage GMT references from the 1970s that featured similar earthy tones. Unlike many two-tone models that hover near or below retail pricing on the pre-owned market, the Rolex GMT-Master II 126711CHNR Root Beer is proof that two-tone can be a winning formula in today’s marketplace and, like its full stainless-steel peers, trades over its retail pricing. As of early 2026, most examples trade between $15,000 and $20,000, with unworn full-set pieces at the higher end. The 126711CHNR is the only current-production GMT-Master II to combine the warm character of Everose Rolesor construction with the technical capability of the Caliber 3285 at a price point well below the solid Everose gold 126715CHNR — making it the most compelling value proposition in the Root Beer family and one of the most desirable two-tone sport watches Rolex currently produces.